Australian Natural Adventuresnature travel, wildlife tours, adventure travel and general travel to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific
RAYMOND & MYRA WORSHAM
continues....
Day 9 - Monday, December 13 - Sydney / Melbourne Day 10 - Tuesday, December 14 - Melbourne Day 11 - Wednesday, December 15 - Melbourne
/ Ballarat / Dimboola Continue north back to the Western Highway, and west
through Horsham to Dimboola (45 minutes), pretty much in the middle
of nowhere other than the highway on which it sits, and a good place
to spend . the Day 12 - Thursday, December 16 - Dimboola
/ Portee Station Day 13 - Friday, December 17 - Portee Station
Day 14 - Saturday, December 18 - Portee Station
/ Adelaide
Day 15 - Sunday, December 19 - Adelaide /
Sydney / Los Angeles . Day 16 - Monday, December 20 - Los Angeles
/ Birmingham |
ith
less rush and bustle, with a more sedate and less brash population
which considers itself to be more interested in the finer things of
life, rather than the more hedonistic. It has a lot of excellent Victorian
architecture, and the wonderful trams - some
Melbourne trams run in San Francisco - which also give it an old-time
air. The 
history buff the 
that
has been operating for over 120 years - it started in 1878 - at this
same location. Although it is at its busiest on the weekend, it operates
from 6am until 2pm today, and is of great interest. This is not a
tourist trap, like so many markets, but a place that locals go - and
come to - to buy goods. Just about every language
can be heard - Melbourne is a most cosmopolitan city, and has the
largest Greek community outside Atherns - from both buyers and sellers.
Not only languages; there is usually a didgeridoo player or two around.
Spread over 20 acres, it is the largest open air Market in the southern
hemisphere. 
Almost one thousand traders sell everything from exotic Australian
fruit and vegetables and local and imported gourmet foods, meat, fish
and poultry to hardware, manchester, clothing and authentic Australian
artefacts
and souvenirs. After your visit to the market spend the remainder
of the day exploring this comfortable city. The Victorian terrace
houses of East Melbourne are quite beautiful, Lygon St area of Carlton
is always colorful, and taking a tram up St Kilda road, with the home-bound
commuters will both give 
you
vistas of the Shrine of Remembrance, gardens, and a range of dwellings
each side, and make you feel like a true local. One interesting feature
of downtown Melbourne are the arcades, small covered lanes that run
between the real streets, each lined with small shops, and each having
its own ambience.
era
in the
1870s. It was also the site of the Eureka Stockade, a revolt by the
miners against the English authorities who controlled the colony,
and extracted excessive fees for the right to mine. Their flag, a
stylized Southern Cross on a field of blue, is used today by Australian
movements againsts authority generally, and specifically by the push
to remove the last ties to Britain, and establish a true republic.
Much of this history, from the site of the stockade (where several
miners lost their lives) to 
a
re-created mining camp to the wonderful late 19th Century buildings,
is 
still
alive in the town. A walk down Sturt St will reveal many gold rush
buildings. After exploring Ballarat continue west to Ararat about
an hour away and continue to Stawell. Turn south to Hall’s Gap
and the Grampians, a 167,000-hectare park famous for its bushwalking
(it has more than 160 km of tracks), rock-climbing, plant life (including
970 native species and brilliant spring wildflowers) and wildlife
(more than 200 species of birds have been recorded). Very accommodating
Grey Kangaroos are easily approached around the small town of Hall's
Gap; careful searching and a little help from the locals will probably
find a koala in a Eucalyptus tree. Continue on from Hall’s Gap
to the top of the Grampians at Reeds Lookout for great views. Reeds
Lookout is about one hour from Stawell, not allowing for the stop
in Hall’s Gap. Continue from the lookout to Wartook Pottery
and Tea Rooms. Here is good pottery, a nice afternoon tea, and a variety
of birds can usually easily be seen. 
night.
Before motels, B&Bs and other 
styles
of accommodation, the traditional place to stay was the Aussie pub;
rooms upstairs and dining and bar down. Over the last 15 years there
has been a resurgence of interest in these places, with their traditonal
architecture, history and stories, and are now muchg refurbished and
offer a more intersting stay than the traditional hotel or motel.
A stroll around Dimboola will reveal other nice, often small buildings,
and the local people are always ready for a chat. Dimboola is the
setting for one of Australia’s most-performed plays –
aptly titled Dimboola. It’s a comedy about a wedding, and the
wedding parties. It is performed most years at Dimboola, most recently
just a couple of weeks prior to your visit. While still in print,
it’s difficult to get a copy, although you may be able to pick
one up in Dimboola while you are there – it would make a nice
souvenir. B
countryside,
home to some of the world's best merino wool growers. See the accompanying
map for general directions, but you should get a road map of Victoria
and South Australia for better details. If in doubt, always ask. Your
general direction is west to Bordertown in South Australia, about
125 miles away, then north to Pinnaroo through the Ngarkat Conservation
Park and on to Loxton, about 140 miles. Turn west to Swan Reach, about
60 miles, the 10 miles north to Portee. The drive should take 6 –
7 hours, with stops along the way. As you drive you can stop along
the way
at country stores, small towns, and the Murray River, Australia's
equivalent of the Mississippi. This river, which begins in the Snowy
Mountains and empties into the sea a little southeast of Adelaide,
was the life 
blood
and main artery for the early settlers. Wool, food, necessities and
people all were transported along her tree
-lined
and muddy waters. Paddlewheelers were a common sight, and today a
few have been restored and once again ply the waters, this time with
vacationers looking for a slow and easy change of pace. On arrival
at 
This
morning rise to the sound of birds, sheep, and the outback. After
a hearty breakfast explore the billabong, look at the workings
of the farm, and yarn with the locals. There is as much, or as little,
to do here as you wish. Meals are taken where Margaret decides, inside
or out depending on the weather and how she and her guests feel. Local
produce is the order of the day, and meals are for relaxing, not 
rushing.
As today is you
r
special day, a relaxing pace will be in order for your entire stay.
Perhaps a boat ride under the gum trees, watching the parrots roost,
or a lunchtime picnic will take your fancy. As the sun sets this evening,
the sounds and views that surround you will remain with you for years
to come.
After a morning on the farm, bid farewell to your new friends, and
head southwest through the Barossa Valley, Australia's original wine-growing
area, and still one of the country's major producers. An easy 2 hour
drive will find you in Adelaide, a city of culture and artistic endeavour.
There is no hurry, so take your time. Spend the evening, sadly your
last in Australia here. Glenelg, a beachside suburb, has some 
interesting
places to stay, a vibrant
street life, and is a fine place to take a last beach stroll in the
late twilight.
Drop your car off at the airport and take your 10.35am flight Qantas
QF750 to Sydney and connect with your 4.20pm UA840 flight to Los Angeles.
Due to the Dateline, you will arrive back this same day, at 10.50am.
As you wing across the Pacific, and then the width of the US, you
will take with you memories of people, places and the good cheer of
Australia. In Los Angeles Airport call for the hotel shuttle to the
Radisson Hotel at Los Angeles Airport. Don’t forget to arrange
your return shuttle tonight.